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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25872574">wash away</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/erenmin/pseuds/erenmin'>erenmin</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>tumblr drabbles [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Childhood, First Meetings, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Pre-Canon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 00:41:53</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>598</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25872574</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/erenmin/pseuds/erenmin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Armin is wary of the boy with the scarf, at first.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Armin Arlert/Eren Yeager</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>tumblr drabbles [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1877449</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>49</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>wash away</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>childhood eremin you mean literal heaven on earth</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Armin is wary of the boy with the scarf, at first. </p><p>He’s been there, where someone would be nice to him for a little while but they would eventually be scooped up by his bullies who would ultimately be turned against him. It’s how one bully turned into two, then three. </p><p>But the boy –– Eren –– doesn’t do that. And he doesn’t seem to be doing that anytime soon. He starts to believe this after Eren actually starts to step between Armin and his bullies, literally and would give them too much grief to bother Armin anymore or he would punch them hard enough. Either way, it always shortens the beatings and berating. </p><p>The fact that it takes Eren, a person that isn’t Armin to stand up for him and actually take action is what always brings Armin to tears after every encounter, because he feels so incompetent and weak. He should be the one standing up and speaking for himself, punching the bullies back, but he can’t bring himself to raise a fist. It’s because it’s not the right thing to do, it only makes him sink down to their level. He doesn’t understand why it’s different when Eren does it instead.</p><p>He always ends up curled up against a wall behind a shop, his head tucked between his knees and his arms crossed to hide his tears, but his shaking shoulders give him away anyway. And Eren always sits himself next to Armin, making sure that one of their legs or arms are touching each other, just to reassure Armin of his presence and that he isn’t going anywhere. </p><p>“Why can’t I ever be as strong as you, Eren?” He shakes harder as he tries to get the words out between sobs. “I should be defending myself, you shouldn’t be stepping in everytime like you do.”</p><p>“You’re stronger than all of us, Armin!” Eren shakes his head profusely, even though Armin can’t see. “It’s like you said the first time we met, you don’t bring yourself down to their level, and you should never do that! It makes you a nicer and better person to be around than them.”</p><p>“But you’re not bad like them for fighting back either, Eren.” Armin sniffles, raising his head to wipe away his tears.</p><p>“Maybe not, but you’re still the better one each time they mess with you. You’re going to do something great with your kindness and strength one day Armin, it’s what’ll get us outside the walls and to the sea!”</p><p>Eren brings up the sea everytime he consoles Armin, but it still never fails to cheer Armin up and crack a small smile out of him. Eren knows that it works, and he always beams back at Armin as he stands up and holds out his hand for Armin to take. Armin always takes it, and he lets Eren pull him back up on his feet and squeeze his hand tighter as he leads him back home. </p><p>Eren always reads him the book that Armin found about the sea that made them closer, and Armin always reads it with enthusiasm or he intently listens to Eren read as if he doesn’t know the book like the back of his hand. Eren’s excitement and passion as they read is infectious, and it’s always the extra push Armin needs to fully forget the events of the earlier.</p><p>And all Armin feels at that moment is untouchable, and he truly believes anything is possible as long as he has Eren by his side and his encouraging words replaying in his head.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>you can find me on <a href="https://twitter.com/erensmin">twitter</a></p><p>feedback is always appreciated!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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